CHAPTER 19


 

 

 

IT WAS HOT...  very very hot! Opening his eyes, all Freddie could see was the multi-colored orange, red and black landscape of flickering flames. Screams pierced the air like rolling thunder. Around him stood several women, all dressed like whores. Some looked familiar, while others he was sure he had never seen before.

"You should!" whispered a voice from behind him.

Blinking from the sweat burning his eyes, he tried to turn to see who was talking to him. It was then that he realized he couldn't move. His wrists and ankles were bound to poles on each side of his body, leaving him spread-eagled. Flexing his muscles, he tried in vain to break the bindings. Sweat poured from his brow and chest, pooling beneath him. Looking down, he saw that he was completely naked.

"This is a dream!" he muttered and then screamed as a searing pain shot across his back.

"You will talk when we say you can talk," said the same voice now to his left.

Turning his head he saw a tall, thin woman with beady black eyes standing a few feet away with a whip in her hand.

"Who are you?" he demanded, his voice hoarse from pain. The crack of a whip was followed immediately by more pain causing him to suck in his breath and gasp.

"You will talk when we say you can talk," repeated the voice to his right.

Freddie glanced in the direction and saw the same woman and quickly looked to his left.

This is a nightmare! he thought, afraid to speak. He was surrounded by the same woman. Must be Twins.

"Triplets!" responded a voice behind him.

About to speak, Freddie decided to remain silent.

"Good. You learn quickly, doesn't he, sisters?"

"Yes. That's too bad," replied the second.

"Definitely, too bad," agreed the third.

As if on some unseen signal, the other women who were standing silently watching started circling him slowly, each one stopping in front of him for a few seconds so he had a clear view of her face. He immediately recognized two of them.

"Charlotte? Pammie?"

The whip sounded and the pain was instantaneous. Biting his lip, he tried not to scream.

"You will talk when we say you can talk," repeated the voice again.

Nodding, Freddie said nothing.

"These are the women you have murdered. They have names. It's good you remember them."

The pimp noticed that each of the triplets took turns speaking, rotating in the same direction every time.

"When you can name all of them, you will have passed the first of your trials."

"And one will be left. Do you understand?"

He nodded his head.

"You may speak!"

"Who are you?" gasped Freddie.

"We are the Erinyes sisters. Have you never heard of us?"

Shaking his head no, he wasn't sure if he was making a mistake by denying it.

"We punish the worst souls condemned to hell. You have been given to us for eternity."

"Or until you pass the two tasks set before you."

Freddie was about to ask about these tasks when he noticed one of the triplets flicking her whip.

"You may talk," she said.

"What tasks?" he asked nervously, glancing at the demons on each side of him. He knew the third was behind him. The whores continued to circle silently.

"You must name each of the whores you murdered. Only then can you go to the final task."

"I've never seen all of these women. Only a few of them."

"That's your problem. You either killed them or ordered their deaths."

"You will remember them in time."

"In a very long time."

"It's time to begin. Name these whores," the demoness commanded to his left.

Freddie watched the faces passing by and was able to name five before he missed. Those five disappeared but the whip cracked and he screamed.

"Name them again."

"I don't..."

The whip cracked, followed by the pain.

"You will talk when we say you can talk."

The monotony of the sentence, itself, was enough to drive him crazy. He felt like screaming for them to shut up but knew better.

"Name them again."

Freddie tried and failed, tried and failed and each time he suffered the same punishment. Each of the triplets took turns with their whips, hitting the exact same spot on his back with an accuracy that foretold of eons of experience. Had he been human, he would have died a long time ago. Freddie realized he would suffer the unbearable pain for an eternity if he didn’t guess their names.

Occasionally, the triplets would stop and talk amongst themselves, oblivious to his presence. Then they would resume their torture, methodically, stoically. On one occasion, when he was allowed to talk, he asked them what his final task would be, thinking if he guessed enough names, he'd eventually eliminate all of the whores.

"You must guess each of our names. Only then will your soul be transferred to the fires of hell. Only then will you know some peace... although I warn you, it will still be painful."

"But not like this. There you get periods of rest to contemplate how to redeem you soul," the second demoness said.

"In time you may get a reprieve from the Underlord and be allowed to serve him," added the third.

"I've never heard of you before. How can I know your names?" he asked, dejected at the thought of spending eternity under their reign.

"That is not our problem."

"Prayers will do you no good."

"But please us and we may give you a hint."

"How can I please you?" he asked, hope surfacing.

"You please us now."

"Yes, each failure gives us joy."

"But if I fail every time, I will never leave here," he cried hopelessly.

The triplets smiled their satisfaction and Freddie knew he was doomed.